ABC’s upcoming pilot reboot of ‘The Wonder Years’ has found it’s new “Kevin”, and what could be more appropriate that the OG “Kevin”, Fred Savage, breaking the news to new young star Elisha “EJ” Williams.
Written by Saladin Patterson (‘Dave’, ‘Psych’, ‘The Big Bang Theory’) and directed by Fred Savage himself, the potential new series will see Williams take the role of Dean (aka the new Kevin), an inquisitive and hopeful 12-year-old kid coming of age in a turbulent time. It’s 1968 in Montgomery, Alabama, and Dean is trying to figure out his place within his Black family and the world at large. Though a little insecure, a tad awkward and a bit self-conscious, he is determined to make his mark on the world around him. The series will look at how the Williamses, a Black middle-class family in the late 1960s Alabama, made sure it was the Wonder Years for them too.
Elisha “EJ” Williams co-starred in Nickelodeon’s ‘Henry Danger’ and ‘Danger Force’, along with providing the voice of “Bingo” in Nick Jr’s ‘Puppy Dog Pals’ animated series. The cute video above shows Savage breaking the news to Elisha that he has got the part, before being joined on the call by Patterson as well. The show is exec produced by Patterson, Savage and ‘Empire’ co-creator Lee Daniels.
Alongside Williams, Saycon Sengbloh (‘In The Dark’, ‘Scandal’) has already been cast as Dean’s mother, Lillian. She is described as confident, kind, perceptive and has a good sense of humour. She knows exactly the right thing to say to convince you of anything. As a mother, wife and full-time accountant, she’s organized, efficient and hard-working, but she always puts family first.
‘The Wonder Years’ is a single-camera comedy that is being piloted for ABC, meaning it may, or may not go to series. We’ll let you know when we hear more.
